Population 30
The family took me on a trip to the sand dunes today. The dunes are constantly shifting and revealing hidden treasures. At the moment nearly a kilometer of ancient sea bed and fossilized coral is exposed in a gap between the dunes. There is fan coral and brain coral some of it a meter high and perfectly preserved in stone. You can see the intricate structures of the ancient organisms. I’m told it dates from approximately 750,000 years ago.
Also newly revealed by the shifting sands is the ruins of a car. The origins are no mystery. The father of the boys I am teaching bogged it when he was 14 years old. He’s now in his mid-30s. He took the brand new car for a joy ride, bogged it, lost the keys in the sand and there the vehicle has sat for nearly 20 years as the sands covered it up and hid it. In the last six months it has reappeared to remind him of his youthful adventures.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
The Island Goes Hollywood
Population 30-ish
A film crew descended on the island yesterday. They are filming a commercial for a new 4 wheel drive utility vehicle and the island is considered the most rugged and remote place to show it off.
It was also a perfect excuse to cut school. It didn’t seem fair to the boys to have them in class when there was so much excitement going on (and I didn‘t want to miss out either - school be damned). So we all piled into the car and followed the crew to film at the blowholes.
The west side of the island has around 60km of cliffs that stretch along the coast. They are pretty treacherous which is part of their appeal for macho types. A few months ago we had a group of staff go for an outing to the cliffs. A king wave came and nearly washed them over. They clung on, battered and bleeding as they were dragged across the jagged rocks. They turned up back at the homestead where I tried to get all the sand and coral out of their cuts, disinfect and patch them up around the kitchen table. All part of the governess’ job. Good thing I got my first aide certificate before I came here.
So our film convoy headed for the blow holes. It was a perfect day for it. The swell was huge and the water was blowing 30 meters into the air. They parked the brand new car in the mist and got some great shots. We were just standing out of the way debating how long it would take for that lovely new car to fall apart with rust after sitting in the salty sea spray.
I thought I might pitch the Hollywood people a show about a San Francisco city slicker who takes a job as a governess on a remote island. Whimsy, hilarity and drama ensue as she comes to terms with the isolation, weird characters, and dangerous animals. A bit like Northern Exposure . . . . okay . . . .almost exactly like Northern Exposure . . . except this time with a shiela instead of a bloke. . . . . okay . . . . . never mind.
A film crew descended on the island yesterday. They are filming a commercial for a new 4 wheel drive utility vehicle and the island is considered the most rugged and remote place to show it off.
It was also a perfect excuse to cut school. It didn’t seem fair to the boys to have them in class when there was so much excitement going on (and I didn‘t want to miss out either - school be damned). So we all piled into the car and followed the crew to film at the blowholes.
The west side of the island has around 60km of cliffs that stretch along the coast. They are pretty treacherous which is part of their appeal for macho types. A few months ago we had a group of staff go for an outing to the cliffs. A king wave came and nearly washed them over. They clung on, battered and bleeding as they were dragged across the jagged rocks. They turned up back at the homestead where I tried to get all the sand and coral out of their cuts, disinfect and patch them up around the kitchen table. All part of the governess’ job. Good thing I got my first aide certificate before I came here.
So our film convoy headed for the blow holes. It was a perfect day for it. The swell was huge and the water was blowing 30 meters into the air. They parked the brand new car in the mist and got some great shots. We were just standing out of the way debating how long it would take for that lovely new car to fall apart with rust after sitting in the salty sea spray.
I thought I might pitch the Hollywood people a show about a San Francisco city slicker who takes a job as a governess on a remote island. Whimsy, hilarity and drama ensue as she comes to terms with the isolation, weird characters, and dangerous animals. A bit like Northern Exposure . . . . okay . . . .almost exactly like Northern Exposure . . . except this time with a shiela instead of a bloke. . . . . okay . . . . . never mind.
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